Congratulations Fr. Marvin Steffes C.PP.S on your 50th Anniversary!

The Very Reverend
Marvin James Steffes, C.PP.S.
Pastor, Provincial, and Principal
Fifty Years a Priest

Fr. Steffes, 50 years ago

Let us all congratulate Fr. Marvin Steffes C.PP.S who celebrates his 50th Anniversary today, June 1, at St. Edward Catholic Church.

The article below was written by Fr. Jeffrey Keys C.PP.S

Fr. Steffes served as Pastor of St. Edward Church from 1979 to 1990. He succeeded, Fr. Ricardo Chavez, a diocesan priest. Fr. Steffes was the first CPPS pastor here at St. Edward.

Fr. Steffes was ordained June 1, 1958. His first solemn High Mass was offered at St. Anthony Church in Detroit. After ordination he served in Detroit, MI and in Cincinnati, OH, as a parochial vicar. He taught at Carroll High School in Dayton, OH before doing graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati. On finishing his studies Fr. Steffes came to California to serve as teacher at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa and in 1969 he became the principal.

In 1970 Fr. Steffes was elected to provincial leadership, serving as Councilor and as provincial Treasurer. In 1974 he was elected as Provincial Director. After leaving Provincial Leadership he served as a hospital chaplain for a year before coming to St. Edward in 1979.

After St. Edward he was administrator at St. Anthony in Manteca (1991), administrator at San Agustin Church in Scotts Valley and at St. Joseph in Spreckles (1994), and as Pastor at Christ Child Church in Los Gatos (1995). Currently he is retired and living at our Mission House in Berkeley with plans soon to relocate to our Retirement Center in Ohio.

Many long time parishioners have wonderful stories to tell about his time here. Sr. Mary Joseph Lyons, OP was principal of the school during some of his years here and remembers him as a “wonderful pastor.” She reports that he was good to work with, very cooperative and always consulted with her about the School. She liked his homilies, saying “he had a way with words, he got to the point and said it nicely.”

I served four years with Fr. Steffes here at St. Edward 1984-88. I remember particularly a homily he gave on Holy Thursday in 1988. The homily was my first real introduction to the scriptural image of the Lamb of God, and its centrality to our celebration of the Eucharist. Later that year when I told him that I would not be renewing my contract but instead enter the seminary Fr. Steffes wondered aloud how he could be upset and happy at the same time. One picture I treasure and which hangs on my wall is a photo of Fr, Steffes laying hands on my head during my ordination to the priesthood.

On this day we gather at St. Edwards for a special Mass at 10:00am to thank him for being such a good friend, teacher and Pastor, for his devotion to Jesus Christ and his faithfulness to the Mission of St. Gaspar del Bufalo. Happy Anniversary, Marvin. Ad Multos Annos.

Send your greetings to Fr. Steffes at easter4g@yahoo.com and I will forward them to Fr. Keyes. Thank you!